[COLUMN] 4th COVID-19 shot? — – Asian Journal News
OMICRON is super-contagious and skyrocketing across the nation, while the virus continues to replicate and mutate mostly in the bodies of those more than 50 million unvaccinated people in the U.S. who are “carriers/transmitters” causing the current massive surges (almost a million last week) in COVID-19 infections, 70,000 hospitalizations, and about 1,300 deaths daily. Indeed, this is mostly the pandemic of the unvaccinated. Those with the booster must still be careful, since they still have a 5-10 percent chance of getting infected, especially with Omicron and future strains.
In spite of the more than 829,000 deaths in the U.S. from COVID-19, the government still refuses to employ the proven standard epidemiologic protocol at its disposal that would rapidly end this pandemic: most importantly, a federal vaccine mandate. It might sound crazy but, as a physician who is very frustrated like millions of other people, I feel like suing the government for gross negligence and dereliction of duty resulting in unintentional “negligent genocide.” If I neglect to follow the standard of care protocol in treating a patient who died as a result, I will lose my license, be fined, and maybe go to jail. So, why not hold our government accountable and liable?
Post-COVID-19 syndrome
For those who are waiting for natural immunity to protect them from COVID-19, the bad news is this: In order to develop natural immunity, one has to be infected by COVID-19 first and many of them would die (like the two anti-vax radio talk show hosts) before they develop natural immunity. Natural immunity is unstable, unreliable, and short-lasting, compared to immunity from the vaccines. The risk from COVID-19 infection is at least 20-30 times greater than the risk from the vaccine, which is a fraction of one percent. And if one survives the infection, there are a lot of health issues (post-COVID-19 syndrome) that could last for months, if not years, with exhaustion, headaches, rapid heart rate, weakness, depression, cognitive impairment, loss of appetite, loss of smell and/or taste, blood clots, etc. Getting the vaccine is the clear and wise choice.
Proven vaccine safety
More than 8.7 billion vaccines have been administered around the world – about 487 million doses in the U.S., and more than 60 million doses in the Philippines. The vaccines have been massively proven to be safe and effective.
Laboratory studies show the T-cells induced by the vaccines could protect people from Omicron, and those infected might have milder symptoms. We still don’t know for sure if Omicron is not worse.
In the pipeline are chewing gum from lettuce that neutralizes the SAR-CoV2 virus in the saliva to reduce infection and transmission, and pills for COVID-19.
4th vaccine?
The new definition of “fully vaccinated” now appears to include the booster. The need for a 4th shot will be decided by the ravages from Omicron and the future strains “churned out” by the unvaccinated.
The Omicron is at least ten times more rapidly contagious. COVID-19 patients are filling up hospital beds around the country, with many of them waiting in …….
Source: https://www.asianjournal.com/life-style/lifestyle-columnists/column-4th-covid-19-shot/